Jharkhand: Power grid collapse, 3 workers dead

Three workers died and an equal number injured when a power grid tower under construction collapsed at Pokkunuru village in Krishna district Thursday, police said. The victims, hired by a contractor, were said to be from Jharkhand. "The accident happened when a high tension power line was being built.

The steel frames collapsed while being fitted and caused injuries to six workers," a police official said. Three of them succumbed to injuries in hospital, while the rest are being treated, the official said over the phone. Krishna district collector B Lakshmikantam expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.

The ex gratia would be paid under the Workmen Compensation Act to the families of the deceased, the collector said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies.)